''Someone Special'' (; lit. "A Woman I Know") is a 2004

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

n romantic comedy film about a struggling baseball player and a fan with a long-time crush on him. It was selected to screen at the 2004

Pusan International Film Festival The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, previously Pusan International Film Festival, PIFF), held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan (''also'' Pusan), South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festi ...

, 2005 Udine Far East Film Festival, and made its United States premiere at the 2005

New York Asian Film Festival The New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) is a critically acclaimed film festival held in New York City, dedicated to the display of Asian Film Culture. The New York Asian Film Festival generally features contemporary premieres and classic titles ...

Plot

Despite having dated a number of women, professional baseball player Dong Chi-sung has never had a first love. "I always think it's love, but sooner or later I find out it's not..." Sure enough, his latest girlfriend dumps him, and then on the same day, he goes to the doctor and finds out he has a malignant tumor, with only three months to live. It's September now, so he won't even live to see the new year. With his mind in a tailspin, he goes to a friend's bar to drink away his pain. Not a heavy drinker by habit, Chi-sung passes out, and wakes up to find himself in a hotel room with the bartender, a rather quirky woman he's mostly ignored until now."How did I get here?" he asks her in confusion, and she tells him she folded him up and carried him in a box. Then she starts telling him about how he acts when he's drunk, before leaving him alone in the hotel room. What a strange woman... The next day he goes to baseball practice, completely unable to concentrate. Formerly a successful pitcher in university, he was moved to the outfield after a shoulder injury, and then demoted to the minor leagues. On his way home, he hears an oddly familiar story being told on a radio program devoted to "confessional love stories." Someone calling herself "Writing Princess" is talking about carrying a man in a box to a hotel room, and talking to him there. What kind of woman is this, anyway?... Han Yi-yeon works part-time in a bar and at a coffee shop, and listens to radio programs as a hobby. Ten years earlier, a young student in a baseball uniform moved into her neighborhood, and from that day on she has slowly fallen in love with him from afar. But she had never found the opportunity to talk to him, until the night when he came alone into the bar where she works. She is shocked to see him start crying, and then after just three drinks he passes out. Without much choice she takes him to a nearby hotel and looks after him there. Seeing him sleep so peacefully, she just wants to stay together with him for as long as she can. But when he wakes up, all the words she wants to say get stuck in her throat, and all she can do is tell him that he's a well-behaved drunk. Frustrated and embarrassed, she leaves him there and goes back home. She decides to send a postcard—or five—to her favorite radio programs... Although Chi-sung angrily confronts Yi-yeon about the "radio incident," it provides her with an opportunity. One radio station sends her a free mobile phone as a gift... Chi-sung has recently lost his, so she stops by his home to give it to him. Another radio station sends her free movie tickets, so she takes him along. While at the theater, Chi-sung runs into his old girlfriend and describes Yi-yeon as "just a woman I know." Is that all?! Is there any way that she can become "someone special" to him?...

Cast

Jung Jae-young Jeong Jae-yeong (born Jeong Ji-hyeon; November 21, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He's best known for his roles in the critically acclaimed films '' Silmido'' (2003), ''Right Now, Wrong Then'' (2015), and '' On the Beach at Night Alone'' (2017). ...

- Dong Chi-sung *

Lee Na-young Lee Na-young (born February 22, 1979) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her leading roles in TV Series ''Ruler of Your Own World'' (2002), ''Ireland'' (2004) and ''Romance Is a Bonus Book'' (2019) and film '' Someone Special'' (20 ...

- Han Yi-yeon *

Im Ha-ryong Im Ha-ryong (born Im Han-yong on October 31, 1952) is a South Korean actor and comedian. During the 1980s and 1990s, Im was one of Korea's foremost comedians (called "gag men") alongside Shim Hyung-rae and Kim Hyung-gon. As his brand of comedy b ...

- police captain *Park Jun-se - burglar *

Jang Young-nam Jang Young-nam (born November 25, 1973) is a South Korean actress. She began her career as an acclaimed actress in theater, then transitioned to supporting roles on television and film, notably in works by director Jang Jin. A member of Jang Ji ...

- woman in accident *Jung Gyu-soo - Dr. Noh *Kim Hye-na - Ju Yu-won *Oh Seung-hyun - Chi-sung's ex-girlfriend *Park Mi-sook - sales clerk *

Lee Min-jung Lee Min-jung (; born February 16, 1982) is a South Korean actress. She began her career in Jang Jin's stage plays, and for a few years appeared in supporting roles on film and television. She became known after her appearance in ''Boys Over Flow ...

- Yi-yeon's friend *Kim Hye-jung - Yi-yeon's mother *Im Seung-dae - doctor *Jo Deok-hyeon - bar owner *Han Seung-hee - burglar's wife *

Yoon Joo-hee Yoon Joo-hee (born February 21, 1985) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for starring in the multi-season medical/ crime procedural cable TV series ''Quiz of God ''Quiz of God'' () is a South Korean television series broadcast on c ...

- flight attendant *

Choi Il-hwa Choi Il-hwa (born May 9, 1959) is a South Korean actor. He joined the Madang Sesil Theatre Group in 1983, and has since continued acting in Korean theater, television and film. Filmography Film *'' No Tomorrow (2016) *'' Wonderful Nightmare'' ...

- DJ 2 *Min Ji-young - DJ 4 *Kim Nan-hee - lovers' friend *Lee Cheol-min - man *Jung Seong-woo - man who got into an accident

Awards and nominations

;2004

Chunsa Film Art Awards The Chunsa Film Art Awards (also known as the Icheon Chunsa Film Festival) have been presented in South Korea since the founding of the prize by the Korea Film Directors' Society in 1990. The awards take their name from the pen name of the early ...

* Best Actress -

;2004 Blue Dragon Film Awards * Best Actress -

* Nomination - Best Screenplay -

Jang Jin Jang Jin (born February 24, 1971) is a South Korean film director, theatre director, playwright, screenwriter, film producer, actor and TV personality. Considered one of the most distinctive voices to emerge from the 1990s Korean cinema renaiss ...

;2004 Korean Film Awards * Nomination - Best Screenplay -

;2004 Busan Film Critics Awards * Best Actor -

* Best Screenplay -

;2004 Women in Film Korea Awards * Best Actress -

; 2005

Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were first introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the Hankook Ilbo newspap ...

* Nomination - Best Screenplay -

References

External links

* * * * {{Hancinema film, Someone_Special, Someone Special 2004 films 2004 romantic comedy films 2000s sports comedy films South Korean romantic comedy films South Korean baseball films Films directed by Jang Jin Cinema Service films 2000s Korean-language films South Korean sports comedy films 2000s South Korean films